1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of animal leashes and leads.
2. Discussion of the Background
Animal leashes have heretofore been constructed of a strap of flexible material such as leather, cotton, or nylon, to which is permanently attached a connection device made of metal or some other rigid material to use in attaching the leash to the collar or halter of an animal. The connection device is commonly a metal construction which comprises a ring (not necessarily circular) by which the device is permanently attached to the strap, and a snap hook which can be attached to another metal ring which is part of the collar or halter. Illustrations of this prior art may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 950,470 (Bellamy), 2,827,017 (Ryan), 3,332,398 (Mintz), 4,763,609 (Kulik), and 5,161,486 (Brown). This list of patents spans the period from the turn of the century to the present. An examination of leashes now commercially available reveals that the same basic design for connection means has been used consistently for many years.
The connection means used in animal leashes heretofore suffers from several limitations. The first limitation is that the inner space circumscribed by the metal snap hook is small. The snap hook is intended for attachment to a metal ring on the animal's collar or halter, and cannot accommodate larger-sized material such as the leash strap itself or the strap of the collar or halter. The second limitation is that the metal connection device is permanently attached to a loop formed in the flexible strap of the leash. This permanent attachment can be disadvantageous if the strap is to be cleaned or laundered, and it can be a disadvantage if the metal device breaks. The third limitation is that these small metal devices are prone to breakage. The fourth limitation is that the snap hook can be awkward to manipulate, particularly in trying to attach it to the metal ring on the collar or halter of a restless animal. This shortcoming is particularly troublesome to a person with a physical limitation such as poor eyesight or arthritis.
The leash disclosed herein overcomes these disadvantages by simplifying the design of the leash, and using an extremely strong and durable aluminum carabiner as a connection means instead of the smaller and more fragile metal connection device of the prior art. The carabiner is not permanently attached to the leash, and the advantages of this concept include versatility in configuring the leash, and ease of cleaning the fabric strap of the leash. The large inner area circumscribed by the carabiner, in contrast to the small area of conventional metal snap hooks, produces substantial advantages with respect to ease and flexibility in attaching the leash to the collar or halter of the animal, and in using the leash in different configurations. The nature of the carabiner makes it easier to manipulate than the conventional snap hook devices. These advantages of the present invention are described in more detail in the following sections.